The present invention relates generally to a lamp assembly, illustratively for use in an automotive vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a headlamp or tail lamp including a light emitting diode as the light source.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming increasingly important in vehicle headlamp and tail lamp applications. LEDs are smaller than incandescent bulbs and use less energy. In addition, LEDs have a longer life than standard incandescent light bulbs. Accordingly, use of LEDs in automotive headlamps and tail lamps can provide significant energy savings, increased lamp life, smaller lamp size, and flexibility in the design. For these reasons, automobile manufacturers are increasingly interested in unique headlamp and tail lamp designs incorporating LEDs that may also have appeal to automobile customers.
LEDs are often attached directly to electrical traces on a printed circuit board (PCB). Aesthetically, it would be desirable for the dome portion of the LED to be visible, while the rest of the LED and the electrical traces on the PCB are hidden from view. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have an LED assembly with a thin PCB. Such a thin PCB would minimize blockage of light rays from the LED emitter, allowing for rays to pass in a broad conical manner about the emitter's optical axis.